AB-849 • 2026

Health providers: medical chaperones.

Crime Education Healthcare Parental Rights

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Soria
Last action: 2025-10-07
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or consequences of non-compliance, leaving some aspects open to interpretation.

Medical Chaperones in Health Care

AB-849 requires health providers to inform patients about the availability of medical chaperones during sensitive examinations and mandates documentation if requested.

What This Bill Does

Requires health providers to notify patients about the option for a medical chaperone during sensitive exams, such as ultrasounds involving genitalia.
Allows patients to request a medical chaperone during these exams.
Gives providers the right to refuse performing an exam without a requested chaperone if they determine one is necessary.
Requires health facilities to train staff on how to act as medical chaperones and what their role involves.
Mandates documentation of a chaperone's presence in patient records when requested.

Who It Names or Affects

Health providers who perform sensitive examinations.
Patients receiving ultrasounds or other sensitive exams.
Sonographers and clinical staff involved in these procedures.

Terms To Know

Sensitive examination: An ultrasound exam performed by a sonographer on certain body areas, including genitalia.
Medical chaperone: A person who assists or observes during a sensitive medical procedure to ensure patient safety and comfort.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the consequences if a provider refuses an exam without a requested chaperone.
It is unclear how compliance with these requirements will be enforced in practice.

Bill History

2025-10-07 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-07 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-24 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3380.).
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2923.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 16).
2025-07-08 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 1. Page 1908.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 849, Soria.
Health providers: medical chaperones.
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities and clinics. Existing law generally makes a violation of those provisions a crime.
Existing law also specifies the settings in which an ultrasound or similar medical imaging device procedure may be offered, which includes licensed health facilities and clinics, and certain providers and facilities that are not subject to licensure and regulation by the department.
Existing law requires a licensed health facility that provides specified prenatal screening ultrasound to require that the ultrasound be performed by a sonographer that is nationally certified, as specified.
This bill would, except as specified, require a provider, as defined, that offers a
sensitive examination to provide notice to patients that a medical chaperone will be made available, upon their request, to assist or observe the sensitive examination. The bill would require the notice be provided as a hard copy, an electronic transmission, or verbally to the patient or their legal guardian, as specified. The bill would provide that the provider has the right to decline performing a sensitive examination in the absence of a medical chaperone if the provider determines that a medical chaperone must be present. The bill would require a provider to educate sonographers and clinical and nonclinical staff who may serve as a medical chaperone regarding specified topics, including, among others, appropriate observational and intervention techniques. The bill would require, if a patient requests a medical chaperone, a provider to document a medical chaperone’s presence in the patient’s health record. The bill would define various terms for purposes of these provisions, including that sensitive
examination means an ultrasound examination performed by a sonographer of certain areas of the body, including genitalia. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2027.
By creating new requirements for health facilities and clinics, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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